Method and apparatus for sealing packages



Dec. 21, 1943. R. M. WAREHAM 2,337,170

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEALING PACKAGES Filed Aug. 24, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

Rog M. .War'eham' Dec. 21, 1943. R M WAREHAM 2,337,170

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEALING PACKAGES Filed Aug. 24, 1959 '4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Roy M. Ware h'am Dec. 21, 1943. R. M. WAREHAM 7,

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEALING PACKAGES Filed Aug. 24, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 w INVENTOR. Roy P1. Wcreham Dec. 21, 1943. R. M. WAREHAM 2,337,170

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEALING PACKAGES V Filed Aug. 24, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 EQZZEEE;

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W INVENTOR Roy H. Wareham Wz m - ma... Dec. 21, 1943 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEALING PACKAGES Roy M. Wareham, New Kensington, Pa., assignor to Aluminum Company of America, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation oflennsylvania Application August 24, 1939, Serial No. 291,712

36 Claims.

This invention relates to a process for sealing packages and also to that class of machines known as sealing machines, and relates particularly to a process of and machines for the vacuumizing and sealing of packages comprising containers and suitable closures or caps therefor.

In the packaging of many products, such as edibles and the like, it is necessary to seal the packages heremetically and desirable usually to remove as much air as is commercially possible prior to sealing. To express the reduction of air content of the containers, which'does not necessarily mean complete removal, the word vacuumizing has been used in the art, and the method of sealing including such a step has also conveniently been called vacuum-sealing. Herein both of these terms are used to indicate reduction of the air content of the containers to provide a subatmospheric pressure within hermetically sealed packages.

One previously known method of vacuum-sealing is dependent upon sealing a container in a hot vapor or gaseous atmosphere to which the container, its contents, and the closure to be affixed have been subjected, whereupon cooling the package produces a subatmospheric pressure therein. It is to this manner of vacuumizing and sealing, and to the apparatus therefor, that this invention relates.

For a method of vacuum-sealing to be successful commercially it must be rapid and capable of producing uniformly sealed packages. The best known application of the method of vacuum-sealing in a hot vapor atmosphere is characterized by applying and sealing a closure upon a container during the movement of the container through the atmosphere, and immediately thereafter cooling the package suiiiciently to create a subatmospheric pressure therein. Transfer of the closure to the container within the hot vapor atmosphere has heretofore been thought necessary in a method characterized by progressive movement in order to subject the closure and head space in the container above its contents to sterilizing conditions, and to entrap some of the atmosphere to secure a satisfactory reduction of pressure upon cooling. To accomplish the transfer under such conditions the cap feed or transfer mechanism has been positioned in the hot vapor atmosphere which is usually steam. Ordinarily, the cap feed mechanism is the part of the equipment most likely to need adjustment and repair, and the foregoing operating condivent immediate detection of failure, and upon failure to cause undesirable delay before repairs are possible because of the heated condition of the mechanism.

An object of this invention h the provision of a method and of an apparatus for vacuum-sealing that has the rapidity and accuracy necessary commercially without the inherent disadvantages of the prior applications of vacuumizing by means of a suitable atmosphere.

An additional object of this invention is in the provision of a method and apparatus by which a cap resting loosely upon a container is presented to a hot vapor atmosphere within the sealing apparatus and lifted to admit the hot vapor without use of cap-clasping or other mechanically operated cap lifting devices within the said atmosphere.

Another object of this invention is the provision of such method and apparatus that the vacuum-sealing of a container presented with a closure resting loosely thereon is carried out during the progressive movement, and preferably the continuous movement, of the container and closure through a vacuumizing atmosphere.

A further object of this invention is the provision of such method and apparatus that a cap resting loosely upon the container when the latter is presented is raised sufiiciently during the forward movement of both to admitthe vacuumizing atmosphere into the head space between the cap and container contents before the sealing operation begins in order both to sterilize the cap and container and to displace sufficient air from the head space to produce a subatmospheric pressure within the sealed package upon cooling.

These and additional objects and advantages hereinafter set forth, or readily apparent to those skilled in the art, will be fully understood when considered in the light of the detailed description of the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is aplan view of a sealing machine embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the machine with several of the parts shown diagrammatically;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line III-III of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line V-V of Fig. 3;

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are views illustrating various stages of operation upon the caps and containtions are likely to be detrimental thereto, to preers;

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal sectional elevational view similar to Fig. 3, but showing a modification thereof; i

Fig. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a modified hood structure which may be employed in the steam chest of Fig. 1 to effect sealing of a container;

Fig. 11 is a view taken on the line XIXI of Fig. 10; and

Fig. 12 is a view taken on the line xii-x11 of Fig. 10.

In general, the preferred practice of this invention is characterized by carrying a container to be sealed and having a cap in contact therewith through a hot vapor or gaseous atmosphere, such for example as that provided by steam, raising the cap to admit the atmosphere between the cap and container, and thereafter sealing the package without interruption of its progressive movement. More specifically with respect to displacement of the closure cap relative to the container, the method includes suitably directed application of the hot vapor or gas creating the vacuumizing atmosphere to lift the cap sufliciently to admit such atmosphere.

It will be understood that the terms "closure and cap" as used herein are identical in meaning and further that they embrace all elements of cap structure, such for instance as sealing liners or gaskets.

The apparatus of this invention includes means for continuously moving containers with caps loosely seated thereon. into and through a suitable vacuumizing atmosphere, means for releasing the gas or vapor forming the atmosphere and directing the same to raise the closure cap from the container, means for limiting the displacement of the cap relative to the container, and means for hermetically sealing the cap upon the container during the continuous movement of both cap and container through the hot atmosphere.

In the apparatus shown by way of illustration in Figs. 1 to 8 of the drawings, a horizontally extended housing or chest I having its ends open sufiiciently to permit passage of the containers through the housing is secured, as by tie rods 2, to an elongated trough-like base 3 which is prefferably supported at a convenient height by standards 4. Journalled in each end of the base 3 are shafts 5 which carry sprocket wheels 6 meshing with the link connections I of an endless slat-conveyor 8 which is horizontally supported along its upper run by rails 9 attached to the base 3.

As shown more clearly in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the upper run of the conveyor travels through the lower portion of the chest I, and above the conveyor a hood Ill is adjustably suspended from the top of the chest by means of a pair of supporting screws H which are secured in a manner hereinafter described. To maintain the hood ID in alignment with the base 3 and the conveyor 8, the hood has outwardly extending bosses l2 through which the tie rods 2 pass. Shafts l3 are journalled in the hood l near the ends thereof and carry sprockets M which mesh with link connections l of a second endless slat-conveyor It. A portion of the lower run of the conveyor l6, as shown in the left-hand portion of Fig. 3, is supported horizontally in parallelism with the conveyor 8 upon longitudinally extending rails H. The rails l! are secured to the lower edges of the side walls of the hood [0 in spaced relation to inwardly proions diameters.

jecting flanges Ila formed on the side walls of the hood. The spaced rails l1 and the flanges IIa form slideways into which the ends. of the slats of the conveyor l6 extend to preventvertical shifting of the slats. Below the rails and parallel therewith are a pair of laterally spaced conduits l8, that'are provided with straps for attachment to the hood I0 by means of bolts 20 which extend through elongated slots in the straps so as to permit adjustment of the conduit spacing to accommodate containers .of var- Each conduit is provided with a series of orifices 2| adapted to release small upwardly directed jets or streams of hot vapor or gas in opposing directions.

Rearwardly of the inner ends of the rails II, the aforementioned parallel 'portion of the lower run of the conveyor I6 is yieldably urged or depressed downwardly by means of a hold-down cradle indicated generally by the numeral 22 to form a pressure-,sealing device for the containers and caps. The hold-down cradle is suspended between the upper and lower runs of the conveyor l6 by means of two pairs of arms 23. One pair-of arms 23 is journalled upon the end shaft l3 near the exit end of the chest I and the other pair is journalled upon a shaft 24 carried by the hood l0 intermediate the end shafts l3. The

. arms 23 are maintained in substantially a horizontal position by two tie members or plates 25 which are carried by shafts 26, each of which is journalled in the inner ends of a pair of the arms.

The tie plates 25 are laterally spaced at their forward ends by a large roll 21 and at their rear ends by a spacer sleeve 28. The roll 21 is suitably recessed to clear the link connections l5 of the conveyor l6 and is rotatably mounted on the forward shaft 26 to depress or deflect the lower run of the conveyor l6 as it leaves the ends of the rails IT. The apertures in the tie members 25 through which the shafts 26 pass are preferably in the form of elongated slots to permit vertical movements of the cradle as hereinafter explained. To prevent upward buckling or flexing of the conveyor I6 rearwardly of the roll 21 during the passage of a container and cap beneath the cradle, each of the tie members 25 is provided at its lower edge and on both sides with a row of small idler rollers 29 which are rotatably mounted upon studs 30 and which are preferably arranged in staggered relationship.

The hold-down cradle 22 is yieldably urged downwardly to exert a clamping pressure on a container and its closure during movement past the cradle. The inner end of each arm 23 is provided with a boss or lug 32 in which is threaded a pin or stud 33 upon which is journalled a clevis member 34 which extends through a suitable opening in the side wall of the hood I0. Each clevis member carries a depending pin or rod 35 which extends downwardly through an elongated aperture 36 in a boss 31 on the hood ID. The lower end of each rod 35 is threaded and carries adjusting and locking nuts 38. Each rod carries a spring 39 which is interposed between the boss 31 and a seat washer 40, which spring can be variably loaded by adjustment of the nuts 33. Since the cradle 22 is yieldable in vertical directions, the pressure exerted thereby for any given elevation of the conveyor [6 as it passes thereunder can be varied to meet sealing requirements.

In order to adjust the elevation of the conagainst the upper run of the conveyor l8 can be adjusted by the nuts 46, which pressure determines the slack of the conveyor l8 and the elevation to which th hold-down cradle 22 can depress the lower run of the conveyor for any given setting or loading of the springs 88.

be s. Thereafter containers, such as those indicated: by the reference numeral 10, having loosely positioned upon their mouths a skirted A pair of parallel pipes orconduits 41 having I 5| and a hand wheel 52, the sprockets 5-! being connected by a chain 53. By turning either hand wheel 52, the nuts 58 are rotated relative to screws H by the sprocket and chain connection,

whereby the hood I8 is raised or lowered relative to 'the conveyor 8 to permit sealing of containers.

of various heights.

To drive the conveyors 8 and I8, a motor 54 is provided which is suitably coupled to the end shaft 5 at the exit end which, by means of the sprocket 6', suitably keyed thereto, imparts movement to the conveyor 8. The conveyor I6 is driven at a linear speed equal to that of the'conveyor 8 by means of suitable gearing which may be arranged as shown more or less schematically in Figs. 1 and 2. In the arrangement shown, a pinion 55 carried exteriorly of the base 3 upon the shaft 5 of the exit end meshes with a pinion 58 carried by a shaft 51 journalled in the base 3 adjacent the aforesaid shaft 5. A sprocket wheel 58 is secured to the shaft 51 and is coupled by means of a chain 59 to a sprocket wheel 80 carried by the shaft l3, to which motion is imparted. An adjustable chain tightener 6|, such as that shown schematically in Fig. 1, is provided, so that driving connections can be maintained for various vertical adjustments of the hood I0. It is to be understood that the driving means for the conveyors 8 and I6 may consist of any arrangement of parts that will impart equal linear speeds thereto.

Inasmuch as the aforedescribed machine is adapted to vacuumize packages presented thereto at random, it is desirable to provide means for centering the containers with respect to the conveyors 8 and I6. To accomplish this, a pair of laterally spaced guides 61 are adjustably secured to vertically adjustable supports 88 carried by the base 3. The forward ends .of the guides are curved outwardly so as to bring the containers into central position on the conveyor 8 as the containers are advanced. Furthermore, since the condensat of the vacuumizing atmosphere and the cooling medium collects in the base 3, it is desirable to provide a drain tube 69.

In the preferred operation of the aforedescribed machine super-heated steam is released for a short period within the chest I by means of the conduits l8 and orifices 2| before sealing can II, are placed at random upon the conveyor 8 which carries the containers and caps pastthe guides 61 and into the chest I. Upon entering the chest, the containers and closures are subjected to the vacuumizing atmosphere, and when a container with its cap is carried abreast of the orifices 2| ofthe conduits l8, as shown in Fig. 6, the jets of steam emerging therefrom impinge thereagainst to raise and maintain the cap against the conveyor IS. The conveyor I8 is disposed at a predetermined position or level to limit upward movement or elevation of the cap so that the bottom edge of its skirt 12 will be maintained below the horizontal plane of the rim of the container, as shown in Fig. '7. In other words, the

position of the conveyor I8 is such that the upward movement permitted the cap is less than the depth of the portion of the cap skirt below the gasket. Consequently, the cap is maintained in'registry with the container while they are carried past the conduits l8 with the sealing gasket of the cap out of engagement with the rim of the container, whereby the heated gas or vapor atmosphere is freely admitted past the skirt'of the closure cap to the head space of the partially filled container to effect heating and displacement of at least a sufficient volume of airto insure subatmospheric pressure within the package when the package is subsequently sealed and cooled.

As a container with its closure is moved past the ends of the rails I! the cap is returned to seated position upon the container by reason of the declination of the conveyor l6 provided by the hold-down cradle 22. As the container and the seated cap travel beneath the cradle, the

pressure thereof against the conveyor I6 forces the lip or rim of the container into the sealing gasket 13 carried within the cap, as shown in Fig. 8, and thereby creates an hermetic seal.

The yieldability of the arms 23 and the holddown cradle 22 insures the necessary sealing pressure, regardless of irregularities of mouth finish of the container and variations in height, without danger of crushing the container or mutilating the cap.

When the cap and container have been uniformly subjected to scaling pressure they have reached a position in their progressive movement through the chest where both are subjected to the cooling medium supplied by means of the conduits 41, which are preferably arranged so that the cooling of the sealed package begins before the package moves beyond the. depressed portion of the conveyor [6 or, in other words, before sealing pressure is removed. The conveyor 8 thereafter carries the sealed package out of the chest where it may be either manually or mechanically removed.

It is apparent from the foregoing descriptionof themachine used for the purpose of illustrating my invention that the vacuumizing operation performed thereby is both simple and automatic, and that the method is in no way dependent upon transfer of a cap to a container to be sealed while subjected to the vacuumizing atmosphere. In order to utilize the method and apparatus of my invention to their fullest degree it is desirable to provide an automatic closure cap transfer mechanism, but such association forms no part of this invention since the caps may be applied to the containers manually.

In the apparatus shown in Fig. 9, the structural arrangement and the mode of operation are substantially the same as heretofore describedv in connection with the structure of Figs. 1 to 8, but

form of hood and sealing equipment carried thereby which may be employed in a steam chest similar to the chest I. In this structure, the hood 88 is arranged to be adjustably suspended in the same manner as the hood l8, and at its forward end carries a pair of laterally spaced rails or angle members 8|. thatare vertically adjustable relative to the hood 88 by attaching bolts 82 extending through supporting straps 83 and elongated slots in the side flanges of the hood, as shown in Figs. and- 11. The straps 83 extend below the rails 8| and support a pair of conduits 84 corresponding to the conduits l8. The conduits 84 are perforated so that a cap will be raised relative to its container by the'streams of vapor issuing from the orifices. The rails 8| limit lifting of the caps so that they are carried along by the containers through engagement of the skirts of the caps with the rims of the containers.

Rearwardly of the rails 8| a sealing device is provided to force the caps downwardly into sealing engagement with the lip of the containers. The sealing device comprises a suitable slat-conveyor 85, similar in construction to the conveyor l8, running on sprockets 88 and 81 that are mounted on suitable shafts journalled in the hood 88, the sprocket 81 preferably being driven. The lower run of the conveyor 85 passes beneath a series of hold-down devices or shoes 88, so as to depress the lower run of the conveyor below the plane of the rails 8| to effect sealing of containers as they move past the sealing device. Each hold-down device comprises a pair of laterally spaced bars 89 beneath which the ends of the slats of the conveyor 85 extend. The bars 89 are secured to legs of a yoke 98 which is slidably carried for vertical movements by a pair of straps 9| that are secured to the side flanges of the hood 88, a suitable connection between the yoke to exert sealing pressure on the caps of the containers. As sealing pressure is applied to the caps, coolant is sprayed thereon from a perforated conduit 95 which is supported above the lower run of the conveyor 85 and extends longitudinally thereof in centered position relative to the conveyor.

I claim:

1. In a method of vacuum-sealing packages,

ass-2,170

thecontainer, andefiecting relative movement between said cap and container to reseat the cap.

2. In a method of vacuum-sealing packages, the steps which compris presenting a container with a cap seated loosely on the mouth thereof to a hot vapor atmosphere, unseating said cap by projected hot vapor to admit said vapor into the container, and reseatin said cap while in said vapor atmosphere.

3. The method 01'' vacuum-sealing packages which comprises, placing a cap on the mouth of a container, efiecting displacement of said cap relative to the container by projected hot vapor, maintaining the displacement of said cap by projected vapor to admit said vapor into the container, effecting relative movement between said cap and said container to reseat the cap, and hermetically sealing the cap on the container immediately after reseating said cap.

4. The method of vacuum-sealing packages which comprises, placing a cap on the mouth of a container, eiIecting displacement of said cap relative to the container by projected hot vapor, maintaining the displacement of said cap by projected vapor to admit said vapor into the container, reseating said cap, applying sealing pressure to the cap and the container, and cooling the package to hermetically seal the same.

5. The method of vacuum-sealing packages which comprises, placing a cap on the mouth of a container, effecting displacement of said cap relative to the container by projected hot vapor, maintaining the displacement of said cap by projected vapor to admit said vapor into the container, reseating said cap, applying sealing pressure to the cap and the container, and applying a cooling medium to the cap and the container while maintaining said sealing pressure to hermetically seal the package.

6. In a, method of vacuum-sealing packages, the steps which comprise presenting a, container with a cap seated loosely on the mouth thereof to a hot vapor atmosphere, horizontally moving said container and cap progressively through said atmosphere, effecting displacement through the medium of the hot vapor atmosphere of said cap relative to the container during the movement of both said cap and container to admit said atmosphere into the container, and reseating said cap to entrap said admitted atmosphere.

7. In a method of vacuum-sealing packages, the steps which comprise presenting a container with a cap seated loosely on the mouth thereof to a hot vapor atmosphere, horizontally moving said container and cap progressively through said atmosphere, effecting displacement through the medium of the hot vapor atmosphere of said cap relative to the container during said movement of said cap and container to admit said atmosphere into the container, and reseating said cap while moving said cap and container in said atmosphere.

8. In a method of vacuum-sealing packages, the steps which comprise presenting a container with a skirted cap seated loosely on the mouth thereof to a hot vapor atmosphere, horizontally moving said container and cap continuously through said atmosphere, raising said cap from said container through the medium of the hot vapor atmosphere a distance less than the depth of the cap skirt during said movement to admit said atmosphere into said container, and reseating said cap to entrap said admitted atmosphere.

9. In a method or vacuum-sealing packages,

the steps which comprise continuously moving a container with a skirted cap seated loosely on the mouth therepf through ahot vapor atmosphere, raising and maintaining said cap from said container a distance less than the depth of the cap skirt by projected hot vapor to admit said atmosphere, and thereafter reseating said cap while in said atmosphere.

10. In a method of vacuum-sealing packages, the steps which comprise creating a hot vapor atmosphere by discharging streams of hot vapor, presenting a container with a cap seated loosely on the mouth thereof to said vapor atmosphere, progressively moving said container and cap in a. path to efiect impingement of said streams thereagainst to raise said cap and admit said atmosphere, and reseating said cap while in said atmosphere.

11. In a method of vacuum-sealing packages,

the steps which comprise creating a hot vapor atmosphere by discharging upwardly directed streams of hot vapor, presenting a container with a skirted cap seated loosely on the mouth thereof to said atmosphere, continuously moving said container and cap in a path to effect impingement of said streams thereagainst to raise said cap, maintaining said cap at a height from said container mouth less thanv the depth of the cap skirt by said impinging streams to admit said atmosphere into the container, and reseating said cap while in said atmosphere. 7

12. In a method of vacuum-sealing packages. the steps which comprise creating a hot vapor atmosphere by discharging laterally spaced streams of hot vapor toward each other, presenting a container with a cap seated loosely on the mouth thereof to said vapor atmosphere, progressively moving said container and cap in a path to effect impingement of said streams thereagainst to raise said cap and admit said atmosphere, and reseating said cap while in said atmosphere.

13. The method of vacuum-sealing packages which comprises creating a hot vapor atmosphere by discharging streams of hot vapor, presenting a container with a skirted cap seated loosely on the mouththereof to said vapor atmosphere, continuously moving said container and cap in a path to effect impingement of said streams thereagainst to raise said cap, maintainphere, and hermetically sealing said packages during subsequent movement thereof.

15. In a vacuum-sealing apparatus, a conveyor operable to carry packages comprising a container and a cap through a hot vapor atmosphere, hot vapor projecting means directing streams of hot vapor between a container and its cap to raise said cap from thecontainer by the motive force of said streams, and means disposed at' a predetermined position above said package, to engage said cap after free elevation thereof by said streams of hot vapor.

16. In a vacuum-sealing apparatus, a conveyor operable to carry packages comprising a container and a skirted cap through a hot vapor atmosphere, hot vapor projecting means directing streams of hot vapor between-a container and its cap to raise said cap from the container by the motive force of said streams,

and means disposed at a predetermined position above said package to permit free elevation of said cap and subsequently to limit elevation of said cap to a distance less than the depth of said skirt.

17. In a vacuum-sealing apparatus, the combination with a conveyor for progressively moving packages, each comprising a container and cap, through a hot vapor atmosphere, hot vapor projecting means directing streams of hot vapor between the containers and their caps to raise the caps by the motive force of said streams and maintain them elevated during movement of said packages through said streams, means for limiting elevation of the caps, and means for imparting unitary traveling movement to said conveyor and said cap-limiting means.

18. In a vacuum-sealing apparatus, the combination with a conveyor for progressively moving packages, each comprising a container and cap, through a hot vapor atmosphere, hot vapor projecting means directing streams of hot vapor ing said cap at a height from said container mouth less than the depth of the cap skirt by said impinging streams to admit said atmosphere, reseating said cap while in said atmosphere, and hermetically sealing the cap on the CC itainer immediately after reseating said cap.

14. The method of vacuum-sealing packages which comprises progressively and horizontally moving a series of packages, each comprising a container and a cap, through a hot vapor atmosphere, raising the cap relative to the container through the medium of the hot vapor atmosphere during movement of both said cap and container through said atmosphere to admit said atmosphere into the container, efiecting relative movement in vertial directions between each container and its cap during horizontal movement thereof while in said atmosbetween the containers and their caps to raise the caps by the motive force of said streams and maintain them elevated during movement of said packages through said streams, means for limiting elevation of the caps, means for imparting unitary traveling movement to said conveyor and said cap-limiting means, and means cooperating with said cap-limiting means for depressing the same toward said conveyor, to

19. In a vacuum-sealing apparatus, the combination with a conveyor for progressively moving packages, each comprising a container and cap, through a hot vapor atmosphere, hot vapor projecting means directing streams of hot vapor between the containers and their caps to raise the caps by the motive force of said streams and maintain them elevated during movement of said packages through said streams, means for limiting elevation of the caps, means for imparting unitary traveling movement to said conveyor and said cap-limiting means, and resilient means cooperating with said cap-limiting means for yieldably depressing the same toward said conveyor, to afilx said caps.

20. In a vacuum-sealing apparatus, the combination with a conveyor for progressively moving packages, each comprising a container and cap, through a hot vapor atmosphere, means for projecting streams of hot vapor against said packages in a direction to raise the caps and maintain them elevated during movement of said packages through said atmosphere, means for limiting elevation of the caps, means for impartcap, through a hot vaporatmosphere, means for projecting streams of hot vapor against said packages in a direction to raise the caps and maintain them elevated during movement of said packages through said atmosphere, means for limiting elevation of the caps, means for impart-' ing unitary traveling movement to said conveyor and said cap-limiting means, resilient means co-' operating with said cap-limiting means for yieldably depressing the same toward said conveyor to reseat said caps, means-for yieldably maintaining said cap-limiting means depressed during subsequent progressive movement thereof to eifect sealing pressure between cap and container, and means for applying a coolant to the packages while sealing pressure is maintained between cap and container.

22. In a vacuum-sealing apparatus, in combination, a pair of laterally spaced conduits, means operable to progressively move packages, each comprising a container and cap, between said conduits, said conduits being provided with orifices arranged to direct streams of hot vapor from said conduits between said containers and their caps to raise the caps from their containers by the motive force of said streams and admit hot vapor into said containers during movement of the packages, and means disposed above said packages in position to control the extent of raising movement between cap and container.

23. In a vacuum-sealing apparatus, a conveyor operable to carry packages, each comprising a container and cap, through a hot vapor atmosphere, means provided with orifices arranged to project streams of hot vapor between a container and its cap to raise the cap from the container by the motive force of said streams, a second conveyor disposed at a predetermined position above said packages to engage the caps while raised by said streams of hot vapor, and means for actuating said conveyors in unison. 1

24. In a vacuum-sealing apparatus, a conveyor operable to carry packages, each comprising a container and cap, through a hot vapor atmosphere, means for projecting streams of hot vapor across the path of said packages to raise the cap from the container, a second conveyor disposed at a predetermined position above said packages to engage the caps while raised by said streams of hot vapor, means for continuously driving said conveyors in unison, and means cooperating with one of said conveyors at a point intermediate the ends thereof, for deflecting a package-engaging portion thereof toward the other conveyor.

25. In a vacuum-sealing apparatus, a conveyor operable to carry packages, each comprising a container and cap, through a hot vapor atmosphere, means for projecting streams of hot vapor across the path of said packages to raise the cap from the container, a second conveyor disposed at a predetermined position above said packages to engage the caps while raised by said streams of hot vapor, means for continuously driving said conveyors in unison. means cooperating with said second conveyor at a point intermediate the ends thereof to deflect the cap-en'- gaging portion thereof toward the first-named 5 conveyor, and means for yieldably maintaining said deflected portion of, said second conveyor in deflected position. f

26. In a vacuum-sealing apparatus, the combination with a pair of conveyors arranged in vertically spaced relation, means for continuously driving said conveyors in unison, to advance packages deposited on the lower conveyor forwardly beneath the upper conveyor, said packages comprising a container and cap, means for maintaining a portion of the lower run of said upper conveyor in parallelism with the lower conveyor, means for projecting streams of hot vapor toward said containers to elevate their caps into engagement with said parallel portion 20 of the upper conveyor, and means for yleldably deflecting said lower run of the upper conveyor at a point rearwardly of said parallel portion thereof, to form a pressure-sealing device for said caps and containers.

27. The method of sealing a relatively widemouthed, partially filled, open-ended receptacle which consists in loosely applying a closure to the open end of said receptacle, directing a stream of hot gas against the underneath side 30 of said closure to lift the closure from the receptacle and fill the unfilled portion of the receptacle with hot gas, and moving the closure and receptacle into engagement to entrap the hot gas therein.

28. The method of sealing a relatively widemouthed, partially filled, open-ended receptacle which consists in loosely applying a closure to the open end of said receptacle, directing a stream of hot gas against the underneath side of said' 40 closure to lift the closure from the receptacle and fill the unfilled portion of the receptacle with hot gas, and forcing the closure onto the receptacle to entrap the hot gas therein.

29. The method of sealing a relatively widemouthed, partially filled, open-ended receptacle which consists in loosely applying a closure to the open end of said receptacle, directing a stream of hot gas against the underneath side of said closure to lift the closure from the receptacle and fill the unfilled portion of the receptacle with hot gas, forcing the closure onto the receptacle to entrap the hot gas therein, and applying a cooling medium to the closure to conduct away the heat of the entrapped gas.

30. The method of sealing a relatively widemouthed, partially filled, open-ended receptacle which consists in loosely applying a closure to the open end of said receptacle, directing a series of opposed jets of steam against the underneath side of said closure to lift the closure bodily from the receptacle and fill the unfilled portion of the receptacle with steam, forcing the closure onto the receptacle and applying a cooling medium to the closure to condense the entrapped steam.

31. A method of closing and sealing openmouthed containers with skirted caps adapted to extend downwardly over the upper edges 01' said containers, which comprises moving said containers which have caps loosely positioned on the upper edges thereof, lifting each cap from the upper edge of each container but with its skirt extending downwardly beyond the upper edge of the container to serve as a chamber for receiving steam which will retain the steam during movement of the container and simultaneously injecting steam beneath the cap during movement of the container, and sealing the cap on the container.

32. Apparatus of the type described comprising a continuously moving conveyor for supporting the containers, means for continuously moving the conveyor, sealing means associated with the conveyor for forcing skirted caps previously applied to containers into sealing engagement therewith, steam supply means for causing the caps to be raised from the containers solely by elastic fluid pressure and for projecting steam into the containers while the caps are raised, means for moving a part of the sealing means relative to the containers in such a manner that it will force the caps into sealing engagement with the containers during their movement with the conveyor, and means associated with said sealing means for limiting the upward movement of said caps to a distance less than the depth of said skirt.

33. In a method of vacuum-sealing packages, the steps which comprise continuously moving a container with a skirted cap seated loosely on the mouth thereof through a hot vapor atmosphere, raising and maintaining said cap from said container a distance less than the depth of the cap skirt solely by elastic fiuid pressure to admit said atmosphere, and thereafter afllxing said cap to said container while in said atmosphere.

34. Apparatus of the type described comprising a continuously moving conveyor for supporting the containers, means for continuously moving the conveyor, sealing means associated with the conveyor for forcing caps previously applied to containers into sealing engagement therewith, steam supply means for causing the caps to be raised from the containers solely by elastic fluid pressure and for projecting steam into the containers while the caps are raised, and means for. moving a part of the sealing means relative to the containers in such a manner that it will force the caps into sealing engagement with the containers during their movement with the conveyor.

35. A method of closing and sealing open mouth containers which have been previously filled with material which comprises loosely positioning a skirted closure upon the open mouth of the container, moving the container into association with a steam jet which will lift the closure from the mouth of the container and will simultaneously inject steam into the. upper end of the container and then sealing the closure member upon the container.

r 36. A method of closing and sealing contain.- ers having open upper ends which comprises loosely positioning a skirted closure upon the open end of each or said containers, successively and progressively presenting said containers to steam jets which lift the closures from the upper ends of the containers and force steam into said upper ends, and successively and progressively forcing the closures downwardly onto the containers in sealing engagement therewith.

ROY M. WAREHAM.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,557,170. December 21, 1915.

ROY n. WAREHAM.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1, first column, line 10, for "heremetically" read "hermetically" page 1;, sec-- 0nd column, line 65, claim 7, after "of" insert --both--; page 5, first column, line75, claim 114., for "vertial' read -v ertice,1--; and that the said Letters Patent. should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 29th da or February, A. 1). 19%.

Leslie Frazer (-Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

